Wednesday, January 06, 1999
Bunning back in big leagues
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen.-elect Jim Bunning received a note the other day from an old high school buddy that simply read, “You've done it again.”
The friend had also written Mr. Bunning three years ago when the Southgate native and resident was elected to Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. The latest correspondence was to congratulate Mr. Bunning for winning Kentucky's U.S. Senate race in November.
“Who would have thought that an athletic career that led to election to the Hall of Fame could be topped,” Mr. Bunning said Tuesday in the nation's Capitol.
“But being sworn in as a U.S. senator. This is exciting. This is special. And I think what makes it different is the 680,000 or so people in Kentucky who voted for me and sent me here,” he said.
Mr. Bunning, 67, will be sworn into the U.S. Senate today at noon as part of the 106th Congress. A six-term Republican member of the U.S. House, he beat Lexington Democrat Scotty Baesler on Nov. 3 to become the first Northern Kentuckian this century and only the second ever to win a statewide office.
“I've worked hard, I've had help in everything I've done or tried to do from a lot of great people, and I have a wonderful family,” he said in what will be his U.S. Senate office on the eighth floor of Washington's Hart Office Building.
In a wide-ranging interview during which he ate a quick lunch that consisted of a cheeseburger with the works and a Diet Coke, Mr. Bunning talked about the agenda he wants to pursue in the Senate, his thoughts on the pending impeachment trial of President Clinton and some of the Republican hopefuls in the 2000 presidential race.
Mr. Bunning said he will be escorted by Republican U.S.
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Louisville to take the oath of office. Mr. Bunning is replacing U.S. Sen. Wendell Ford, the Owensboro Democrat who did not seek re-election last year after four terms.
Many of Mr. Bunning's friends and supporters, his wife Mary, eight of his nine children and several of his 32 grandchildren are in Washington to watch the ceremony.
Mr. Bunning is acutely aware of his place in history, noting Tuesday that he is just one of only 1,841 Americans ever to serve in the Senate.
And it won't be long before he and the rest of the Senate take up the historic impeachment trial of Mr. Clinton, which could get under way as early as Thursday.
Mr. Bunning has long opposed most of Mr. Clinton's policies and politics, and has shown his disgust for the president's personal behavior in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. But he has also kept his comments about the scandal and impeachment low key, a posture he continued Tuesday.
He did say, however, that he disagrees with the senators calling for a quick trial or a mere censure of the president.
“It's premature to say too much right now,” Mr. Bunning said. “But I do think we need to do our constitutional duty and hear the evidence.”
If that includes testimony from witnesses, so be it, Mr. Bunning said. And he added that if some of the testimony is sexually explicit or graphic, it should be done in private.
“I don't want to deprive the American people of anything, but I don't want my 9-year-old grandson hearing it on TV ... and I don't want this to be another trial like O.J. Simpson,” he said.
On his legislative agenda, Mr. Bunning said he will continue the work he began in the House in trying to reform and save Social Security. As the chairman of a Social Security subcommittee, Mr. Bunning said he knows more about the topic than most of his Senate colleagues.
The first bill he will introduce in the Senate will involve allowing Americans to invest a portion of their Social Security money in private investment accounts, similar to employee-sponsored 401K plans or Individual Retirement Accounts.
As a member of the Senate bank ing and energy committees, he will be overseeing legislation on financial institution reform and utility deregulation.
Washington was abuzz Tuesday with speculation that Elizabeth Dole, wife of 1996 GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole, will run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000.
“I think she would make a fantastic candidate,” Mr. Bunning said. “She brings a great deal to the party, including great experience, a lot of name recognition and experience on the campaign trail with her husband,” he said. Mr. Bunning also commented on the presidential aspirations of fellow Campbell County native Gary Bauer, who grew up in Newport and now heads the conservative Family Research Council in Washington.
“I count Gary Bauer as a friend, and I think his role is to make sure the social conservatives are at the table and their agenda is heard,” he said.
“And Gary can really raise money,” said Mr. Bunning, noting Mr. Bauer has already raised $7 million for his likely run at the GOP nomination.
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